A crackling blast of fire shot from his hands, and Grim howled with laughter. Toby dove to the side, the heat lapping at his face and back. Dani landed next to him, her skirts on fire, and she thrashed around to put it out.

  The night brightened, and Toby looked up in horror. “Oh, gods.” The fire caught hold of the Golden Peach, racing up its wooden side. Bright flames blossomed when it hit the thatch part of the roof, somehow ignoring the dampness that the soggy grass must hold.

  “Thrash, and it’ll all burn,” Grim howled in glee. Dale screamed, boots splashing in the puddles.

  Toby scrambled to his feet, in time to lurch to the side, the claw-like hand swiping the air. The blows came, fast and powerful, and Toby barely managed to get away. Smoke and flame clung to Grim like a cloak, Reg’s flesh beginning to bubble and sear.

  The demon was herding him, Toby realized as he dodged again, driven back toward the cellar. There, he could be toyed with in leisure, his escape options drastically slashed. The burning building warmed his back, the flames growing.

  Somewhere within, he heard Gwen scream.

  Turning to face the demon, Toby gulped, watching for an escape. Dale still stood, petrified with fear, and Grim casually caught him with the blade of his hand. The blow lifted Dale up off his feet, eyes rolling back; he stayed motionless where he landed.

  “Mine,” Grim whispered, the words a caress that slithered down Toby’s spine and coiled in his belly. “All mine.”

  “Back!” Aaron bellowed, emerging from the Inn, his profile cast in flame. The word hit Grim like a physical blow, and he staggered away from Toby. The Innkeeper approached, holding a pendant out in front of himself like a shield.

  “You command me not, mortal,” Grim snarled, crouching to pounce. Flames gathered at his hand.

  Aaron’s eyes narrowed and he seemed to glance from the demon down to the ground, and back again. “No, but someone else seems to. I said back!” he shouted again. Light flashed from the pendant, and Grim howled in pain.

  “Get behind me!” Aaron bellowed, the wind catching his night shirt, rain soaking his clothes to his thin frame. Toby obeyed without hesitation, dashing around Grim, and Dani joined him. “Pray, children. Pray hard.”

  “To who?” Toby asked.

  “To the one that gives dominion and power,” Aaron said, then raised his voice. “By Daivat’s hand, I bind you! You and the works of your power are undone.” Again, the pendant flashed, a searing light catching Grim in the chest; it smoked and the demon screamed again, the sound grating and high.

  Trying to have faith, Toby marshaled his shattered beliefs and hoped that the god would accept them.

  A second beam lanced out, and this time, the Grim fell convulsing into the mud. Something gathered in the air above the demon, and with a final screech, Grim’s head yanked back, mouth open. A meaty crunch silenced the sound, and Reg’s body lay still.

  The black cloud of smoke bulged and squirmed, and Aaron gritted his teeth in a riotous grin. “Back and away, sealed and shut.” The light impaled the cloud, and the smoke trembled, pulled into a smaller, tighter orb. The smaller it grew, the more dense it became, until a crab apple could dwarf it.

  Aaron’s arm trembled, and he pulled the pendant back, the demonic essence drawn toward the glistening metal stamped with Daivat’s seal. Toby gulped and backed away, not wanting to be close in case it got free, feeling like a coward for the impulse.

  “Do you think?” Dani murmured, staying and staring. The orb kissed the pendant, smoking at the contact. Another flash of light; Aaron shouting words in a language Toby couldn’t follow, and the demon vanished.

  The flames on the Inn flared, then gutted completely, the remaining tiles on the roof glistening in the rain.

  “Thank heaven,” Aaron gasped, and turned to face Toby. His gaze went past him, and his tired blue eyes widened. Toby turned, becoming aware of the crowd that had gathered. Cold Harbor’s residents, attracted by the fire, were now repulsed by the display of power.

  “Demon!” a man called, rage and disgust in his voice. The crowd murmured its agreement, and closed.

  “No!” Aaron said, holding the pendant aloft. “A miracle! The god has —”

  “Had enough of you,” an ugly voice growled, and Rat Ass ran forward. His fist connected solidly with Aaron’s jaw. The Innkeeper groaned and went down, pendant splashing into the mud.

  “Monster!” Dani shrieked, running to Aaron’s side, putting herself between the thug and the fallen man. “He saved us!”

  “He murdered that boy,” Mole cried, stepping out of the crowd, pointing at Reg’s fallen form. “You all saw him command the demon! This brave man merely stopped him from casting another devastating spell.”

  “Liar!” Toby yelled, rage making the world go red. He couldn’t stand and let the man talk about Aaron like that, so he ran forward to kick him hard in the crotch. The thug stepped aside, his hand smacking Toby’s upper back hard, propelling him past and into the mud.

  “Poor lad,” Mole said, reaching down and grabbing Toby’s hair. “I’ll take you home.” Twisting, he yanked and Toby squealed in pain as he got dragged up. Thrashing did him no good, and Mole marched him to the edge of the crowd, which parted to let them pass.

  A flash of skirts and then, Dani was there, her teeth sinking into Mole’s arm. He squealed and let go. Toby didn’t think, couldn’t think — he ran, charging into the night, pushing past the last few gawkers.

  Shouts came from behind him, and he risked a look back to see Mole and Rat Ass in pursuit, Dani nowhere in sight. Alone, Toby ran, the rain blinding him and making the ground slick. His lungs burned, every breathe a lance in his chest.

  Stumbling around a corner, he whimpered. The cliffs loomed ahead, the angry ocean churning far below. He turned to head up the coast, planning on heading to the Watcher’s Hall. It lay all the way across town, but maybe he could circle around and make it. They’d help — they had to!

  The hope died as a hand clamped around his arm and yanked him up off his feet. “Ya’ve run enough,” Rat Ass snarled, and turned. The world spun around, a dizzying blur of rain, clouds, and a quick glimpse of Mole’s leering face. Then, freedom, and he was flying through the air, away from the thugs.

  Too late, Toby realized the fall lasted too long, and he saw the edge of the cliff pass him, far away, too far to even think of reaching. His clothes and arms flapped like broken wings as he plummeted down toward the hungry waves.

  Lightning flashed, and for a moment, he saw Dani’s figure in the cliffs looking in horror. Toby whimpered just before the hard crunch of cold took him. Water swallowed everything, dragging him down, and Toby thrashed weakly. His lungs burned, and the salt scalded his eyes when he opened them.

  Dem, Da — he’d never see them again, never ever again. He’d failed them both, in the end.

  Twisting in the water, his fingers caught something. Toby grabbed it, dragged it close to him, praying for a log to keep him adrift. His head broke the surface, and he gasped for air, sucking it in.

  It wasn’t a log — the weight dragged him, trying to pull him under. Toby opened his eyes and looked into the ghostly white face of Dem, eyes milky and frozen open in horror.

  Water rushed into his mouth when he screamed, and his frozen hands refused to release his brother’s bloated body. Darkness swallowed him, and his last thought was that Watcher Pommel had been right — the fishers would’ve found Dem after all.

  20

  Someone screamed, and the high liquid sound made it impossible for Toby to think. It rang in his ears, bouncing around and jumbling up his thoughts. Something important escaped him, something vital.

  His chin burned, and he looked down. A hand of burning blood protruded from his mouth. Its fingers slapped against his chin and neck. He could feel it in his chest, rummaging around, gripping his heart and squeezing.

  Desperately, he twisted, his hands trying to grip the arm and pull it out. Everything that touched the blood came away wet and on fire; he tried to squeal, but he was already screaming.

  Out of the gloom came Dem, the bloody arm his, the rest of him pasty white and bloated. His mouth hung open, purple fleshy lips dripping watery blood. “You killed me,” Dem rasped, not through his mouth, but through a jagged slash in his throat.

  Desperately, Toby tried to deny it, tried to beg for forgiveness. The arm yanked at his lungs, and all he could do was squeal and choke on the fire.

  Dem lurched forward, his other dead hand gripping Toby’s hair. His brother leaned closer, a heavy weight on his chest, and wet cold breath splashed against his ear. “Don’t die,” Dem whispered in Dani’s voice.

  “Please don’t die.”

  The fire stayed in his chest, but fled everywhere else. Toby opened his eyes, saw darkness, and rolled to his side. Choking and coughing, he vomited up a lake’s worth of sea water, the salt puckering his mouth.

  “Thank Eil,” Dani gasped, and leaned over him, her long hair dangling in front of his face. Her hand rubbed his back, then tucked the old scratchy blanket around him more. “You came back. Gods, Toby, I thought you were dead.”

  Dead. Like Dem. His brother’s face came back, and the realization of what it meant hit him. He’d never see his little brother again. Little Kedem, his brother, the one who looked so much like his Ma it hurt. She’d died to bring him into the world, gave him to Toby to take care of, and now he’d gone and left him dead, floating in the waves to have his tiny body smashed and broken against the rocks and cliffs until some shark came and tore him apart. His blood may ride the waves, but it’d forever stain Toby’s hands.

  The tears came, burning his eyes more than the salt had.

  “Oh gods,” Dani said, jerking away in horror. Then, tentatively, Toby felt her hand on his shoulder, and her body press into his back as she hugged him. She was so warm, and he was so very cold inside, an ocean of grief trying to get out.

  And, when it’d all poured out of him, he lay on the cold ground in Dani’s arms, feeling so very tired. They lay there for an eternity, until finally, Dani pushed herself up behind him, peering at his face warily. “You done?” she asked, sounding embarrassed.

  “Yeah,” Toby said, sniffing. “Dem’s dead. Where am I?”

  She jerked back as if from a slap. “Dead? You’re sure? How?”

  He shrugged. “Clung to him in the waves. It was him, Dani. Dead ’n bloated. Had his throat cut.”

  “Gods,” Dani whispered, chewing at her lip. “They’ll get it out, Toby. We’ll make sure they find him and bring him out. We’ll give him to Afallon proper. Did he make a gift?”

  Toby shook his head, and tried to sit up. Dem never had time for crafts, and Toby always thought forcing him to make a death-gift at his age was a cruel and ill omen. Now, he knew he should’ve; Dem stood before Afallon without payment to get past those damn gates.

  Would the God of Death have mercy on a boy? No, not if He was willing to take them, the bastard.

  “We’ll make him one,” Dani said, pulling away and scooting back. Her skirts were torn and burned, clinging to her legs. They rode up and gaped a little, her inner legs a mottle of bruises. She saw him staring, flushed, and pushed her legs together. “Toby…”

  He looked away. “Sorry. What happened, where am I? Did you get those from…”

  Dani grunted, cuffed him lightly on the head. “I saw those thugs take off after you. You were near our spot, the hole in the cliffs, so I ran there. I was gonna get you to hide, distract them if I needed to. I saw them throw you instead.”

  She shuddered, her hands clasped together in her lap. “How many times have I told you to learn to swim, dummy?”

  “Sorry,” Toby mumbled, feeling abnormally ashamed.

  “You should be. I dove in after you. It’s a drop, and I almost broke my head on a rock. I thrashed around until I found you, then dragged you up the dock’s nets. We’re in a warehouse. I hid you here. For a while, you were just gurgling and choking. Then, you wouldn’t wake up.”

  He nodded slowly, taking it all in. “Why didn’t you get Healer Thomas? Sorry, I mean, thanks for saving my life ’n all. But…”

  “They all think you’re dead, Toby.” Dani reached out, took his hand; he looked down at hers, nails broken and knuckles bleeding. His own was a mess, too, the skin almost purple. “It’s been a whole day. And…Toby, they’re saying you killed Dem. That’s why you’ve suddenly vanished.”

  Her words hurt, and he squeezed her hand hard. “What?” he gasped, fighting tears he didn’t have any more. “Why? How?”

  She shrugged, chewing on her lip again before answering. “Shit, I don’t know. The Watchers found some stuff down in your cellar. A…a bloody knife, and an empty barrel where it looked like…like someone hid the body. They say you killed him, stuffed him there, and then pretended otherwise. I didn’t get the Healer, ’cause I didn’t want you to die.”

  Kinslaying was the worst crime anyone in the Roughlands could fathom, even worse than summoning demons. Everyone knew that the first duty a man had was to his Kin, then to the village, then to the gods — the Nine didn’t care; They’d never ask anyone to behave otherwise. Anyone found guilty of kinslaying was banished without question or exception, and with the cursed forest that surrounded them, that was a death sentence more cruel than drowning.

  “It’s…it’s a mistake. The Rider must’ve put that stuff there.” He looked at her, eyes wide. “You know I didn’t do it, that I didn’t kill —”

  “Of course not, dummy. Don’t be daft!” She scowled at him, looking pissed that he had to ask. “It’s obvious it’s a set-up. Those thugs must have planted it after they chucked you into the sea, using the tunnel that must open into your cellar.”

  Nodding, Toby relaxed a little. It made sense…except. “Why’d the Rider raise Grim as help if had those two thugs? They’re strong enough, and obviously don’t mind killin’ kids.”

  Dani looked to the side, picking at her boot. “Dunno. He was probably lying. Like when he said he didn’t kill Dem, right?”

  He grunted, and his stomach growled. “Yeah. Right. So, I’ve been here a whole day? That explains why I’m starvin’. Have any food? And what else happened?”

  “Bad stuff,” Dani sighed, getting up and taking a wrapped bundle from off of a nearby crate. Now that his eyes had adjusted, Toby could see the looming shapes of stacked barrels and crates. They were in a little nook in a corner. No doubt Dani had to drag him here. Thank the gods she was strong for a girl!

  “Here,” she said, holding out the bundle. The bread inside was hard, but Toby didn’t care — he devoured it while she talked. “They arrested Aaron. The whole damn town is up in arms about him being a demon-summoning mage. Lots of folk are saying that they saw him summon the demon, kill Reg, and try to kill us. That he put out the fire on his inn with magic doesn’t help things, neither.

  “The trial was yesterday. Since Hand Travis is still gone, my Pa pushed the Council to stand in as judges.”

  “Wait,” Toby said, spraying crumbs from his mouth. “Your Pa did? But, why should he care?”

  “Maybe he just don’t like demons,” Dani snapped. “What does it matter?”

  “Just wondering,” Toby said with a shrug. “I mean, those thugs were threatenin’ Aaron about the roof. Those…clay tiles, he called ’em.”

  “And he’d get Aaron killed for that,” Dani said, her voice flat.

  “No, I’m sure that — wait, they’re killin’ him?”

  She sighed, picking at her nails again. “Yeah. He’s due to be burned at the stake later today. Normally, only Hand Lane can execute someone, but…”

  “They’re scared,” Toby said, his bread suddenly sticking in his throat. He shoved the rest of the loaf aside, feeling sick. “This is all my fault. I got him involved, and the demon was chasing me.”

  She snorted. “Reg and Dale were there ’cause of me, don’t forget. We’re both to blame.”

  Toby found her hand, gave it a squeeze and didn’t let go. “So, um, any sign of Trip or the others?”

  Dani’s fingers tightened on his hand, hard enough to hurt, but he didn’t complain. “No. I went out only once, though. Haven’t even gone home. My Pa is probably going to be furious. But…I doubt they got out. We did leave them, and all.”

  “We had to,” Toby insisted, but he didn’t feel the same certainty as before. “Fine. So, what do we do?”

  “About what?”

  “Aaron, the orphans, the Rider — all of it!” Saying it out loud made it just sound more daunting, more impossible, but what other choice did he have?

  “Toby, there’s…a ship. It came in last night. I was thinking, maybe you want to stow away on it, get out of here. I’d come with you, just like I always planned, and we’d leave all this shit behind.”

  Toby jerked his hand away, staring into her hurt eyes in shock. “And leave the orphans to die? Leave Aaron to burn? Let my Da think I killed Dem ’n ran off? Dani, I can’t — how can you even think I could?”

  She glared and scrambled to her feet. “How do you think you’re going to make any difference at all, Toby? We’re just kids, young and weak, not even to our majority.”

  “You are,” Toby said.

  “I’m a woman!” she screamed, her face reddening, hands clenched into fists at her side. “A bloody woman! Whose gonna believe me, whose gonna listen? I don’t got a husband, I don’t got a brother, and my Pa isn’t gonna help. What can I do?”

  “You can help me! Dani, we’ll do it together.” He stepped forward, tried to take her hand, but she flinched away.

  “You want to get yourself killed, be my guest,” Dani spat, turning away. “I’m not going to watch. Not anymore. I’m tired of getting beat and almost killed, Toby. I almost drowned, saving you; I can’t drown in your troubles anymore.”

  “We’re in this together,” Toby protested, but her words stung because they sounded true. All he’d done was pull her into his mess deeper and harder, and she hadn’t complained, not once. What else could he do, though?

 

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